Requiem of Despair
by Aoi-shi
Summary: When you've lost everything that has ever held value, you're left in despair. Theme: Hatake Kakashi’s tormented mind… followed by Haruno Sakura’s extreme insecurities. Perhaps they can find comfort in each other’s flaws?
1. Of Longing and Lost Love

**Title: **Requiem of Despair

**Summary: **Dabbles in Hatake Kakashi's tormented mind… followed by Haruno Sakura's extreme instability. Perhaps they can find comfort in each other's flaws? In this story Sakura is currently 18 years old. Yes, I do realize that this makes Kakashi 32, but I'm choosing to ignore this teensy detail. Well, not completely ignore it… but just place it in the back of my mind.

**Disclaimer:** Yes, yes… I don't own Naruto. Nor will I ever. -tear-

A/N: So… after much deliberation, I've decided to make this a Sakura/Kakashi story.  
-dodges flying stones and broken glass-  
Yes… I know. You all wanted a Sasuke/Kakashi or Naruto/Kakashi pairing… but I'm just not in the mood for writing another yaoi, (at least not right now). However, this will **_not _**be another mushy fluffy love story… where Kakashi and Sakura somehow fall madly in love with each other, getmarriedandhaveamillionkids. Gah.

And now… onto chapter one!

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 1  
**Of Longing and Lost Love**

* * *

Kakashi's POV

_I failed them… _his eyes widened in realization. Rain soaked through his clothing, numbing his flesh while adding a delicate sheen to the stone monument in front of him.

_They're all gone, because of me… _These cursed words crushed his soul under a torrential downpour of despair.

_If only I had done things differently… told them I cherished ever second of their company…_ "One notices these minute details when one's left absolutely alone in the world," he whispered to the stone in front of him with chagrin.

_Two dead… one chasing after the same fate… and two completely out of my control… _His finger unconsciously traced Obito's name on the stone. His childhood team had been effectively destroyed with the untimely death of his teammates Rin and Obito, followed by the Yondaime's ultimate sacrifice.

_Followed by another mistake… Sasuke… _he cringed. Perhaps he had failed Sasuke most of all. Not only had he empowered him with rigorous sharingan training, but he had been unable to prevent his inevitable escape from Konoha. _Give a criminal a blade and you'll end up bleeding… _

While training Sasuke, he had unintentionally abandoned his other responsibilities resulting in others taking up his slack once again. With Naruto and Sakura training under Jiraiya and Tsunade, respectively, he was rendered absolutely useless.

"They have the ability to train them far better than I could have ever hoped to," he chastised himself.

_Damn this miserable existence! _He raked his trembling hand through his drenched silvery tresses.

"And here I am, hiding from the world behind this miserable mask!" he cried while ripping the thin piece of cobalt material from his face, revealing still youthful, striking features, unknown to the eyes of mortals.

_When the pendulum finally swings the other way… I'll surely be burning in hell. _

He closed his exposed eye to the tempest raging above him, praying for his end to be swift.

* * *

Sakura's POV 

Love isn't a feeling… nor an emotion. Otherwise, wouldn't one have the ability to fall out of love just as easily as falling in? No, it was never that simple for Haruno Sakura.

She had thought long and hard on the enigma of love and eventually came to a single conclusion: love is to choose the greatest good for the other person, even at the risk of destroying yourself.

This proved true as she let the embodiment of her affection slip through her aching fingers. Her love for Uchiha Sasuke was absolute, consuming her every hope and desire.

_And I had once dreamed to marry him some day._

Dreams that now consumed her as nightmares.

Oh sure, they would start out as a beautiful dream of Sasuke's return; flinging herself into his welcoming arms. Always the same dream… his knowing fingers lightly tracing her soft features, drawing her closer ever so slowly until their lips were mere millimeters apart. She would then open her sea foam green eyes, and his image would slowly dissolve into the air around her.

Instantly, the beautiful surroundings would dim, leaving her soul consumed by darkness. The wind would turn bitter and damp… nipping at her exposed flesh and whispering hurtful words into her already tortured mind.

But she had to let him go. Keeping him tightly wrapped in her desperate arms would have only confirmed her selfish desires.

_I loved him…so I set him free._

"Loved? Well I suppose somewhere along the way I have stopped loving him…" she mused. 

_How can you love someone when you're completely devoid of all emotions? _

"**Sakura!**" Tsunade barked while sticking her head into the room where Sakura was reminiscing, "You now have three patients waiting for you! Get to work!"

But Tsunade, although terrifying at times, did not have the ability to disrupt Sakura's distracted mind that easily.

_When was the last time I laughed or cried?_ She wondered inwardly as she focused chakra into her trained fingertips and gently healed her patient's chest wound. _My tears for Sasuke have long since dried up._

"Something wrong kunoichi?" inquired her patient. "You seem a little… distant. Need somebody to talk to?

"No… I'm really quite fine actually! Just a little tired…" she replied sweetly with a forced smile.

Hours later after completing her excruciatingly long day's work, she finally decided to confront Tsunade with her internal crisis.

She approached her sensei's door and stood examining its details for all of ten minutes.

_Hmmm… I wonder if she's finally acquired the courage approach me? However, I am growing quite tired of waiting…_

"Sakura… come in and tell me what's on your mind," Tsunade commanded.

Slightly startled, Sakura hesitantly obeyed and slid into the quaint office.

"Tsunade-sama," she began, "I need… some time. Time to get my head together."

"…"

"…"

* * *

A/N: Hmm… I would like to accredit this little chunk of sunshine to my pounding migraine and horrific mood. Well actually, I feel a lot better now! I've wanted to write something about my beloved Kakashi for a while now, and I apologize if he or Sakura (or both!) were slightly OOC. I know… cliffhangers are evil, but sleepiness is causing me to cut it off here. So you'll just have to SUFFER! -maniacal laughter- No leaving without first reviewing! -waves index finger menacingly- .

By the way, "Love is to choose the greatest good for the other person," is a quote directly from Brad Henning, a brilliant motivational speaker.


	2. Exposure

A/N: Heh… sorry it's taken me so long to update. I was a little preoccupied with finals and such. Death to finals. -shakes fist menacingly- Ah, but yes… back to the story.

In case you're confused because I had already posted a chapter two, I decided to combine my first two chapters into one… since they were both on the shorter side. :3

**Warning: **Contains explicit language to some extent.

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 2  
**Exposure **

* * *

He woke with a start, face still compressed against the cold stone he was sitting in front of minutes earlier. Or was it hours? Days or weeks? He really had no idea and couldn't care less.

His fingertips immediately grazed the side of his mouth, wondering briefly where his mask had gone before the memory of tearing it from his face flooded back into his mind.

_Oh shit, I'm never going to hear the end of this… _

He honestly couldn't remember ever allowing a single person in Konoha to see his face unmasked, and he was certain that there wasn't a person out there who wouldn't take the opportunity to give him hell.

"Who knows? Maybe they won't recognize me," he mumbled to himself.

_If I didn't look so goddamn much like my bastard father…_ he clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, then started in the direction of the village.

* * *

"Kakashi my rival!" hailed Gai from across a puddle-ridden street before jogging up to said rival's side.

Kakashi turned slightly and blanched. Truly, he was being punished for some crime against nature he had unknowingly committed.

Gai squinted, eyeing Kakashi from head to toe in an attempt to figure out just what was different about the jounin today.

The silver haired man sighed heavily and leaned against the side of a building, arms crossed over his soaked chest.

"Is there something I can do for you today Gai?" he drawled, a slight sneer gracing the corners of his lips.

Gai's fingers began to massage his chin pensively as he further scrutinized the man standing in front of him. Something was different, of that he was sure… but what?

Finally, after a good three minutes or so Gai's expression changed from that of confusion to amusement.

"Aaha! Clever rival." He shook his head, a grin plastered on his obnoxious face. "…You've had your hair cut!"

For a second Kakashi stared, wide-eyed and jaw slightly unhinged in utter disbelief.

_Oh come on… I knew this guy was dense but… can he be serious?_

"Err, yeah Gai. I guess there's no fooling your careful eye," he grinned, scratching the back of his head with one hand.

Gai let out a loud, triumphant laugh, tapping the area to the side of his left eye. "Right you are my rival! I spare no detail, no matter how seemingly insignificant!"

"Right. Well, I'm soaked… so I'll be leaving now." Kakashi brushed past and retreated down the empty street.

"Until we meet again, dear rival!" Gai cried passionately waving one arm in the air towards the withdrawing figure.

* * *

"Hey! Kakashi-sensei! Wait up!"

Kakashi groaned, turning to face the blonde-haired boy speeding towards him.

"Why hello Naruto, what brings you here on this miserably bleak day?" he sighed.

"Oh! I was on my way to get some ramen!" Naruto chirped. "Wanna come?"

I would rather swallow a bucket of rusting nails actually… 

"I think I'll pass."

The disappointment showed itself in Naruto's face for only a moment before being replaced by the cheesy grin once more.

"Ah, that's okay, maybe some other time!" he laughed before cocking his head slightly to the side and inspecting Kakashi just as Gai had done.

"Hmm… you look different than usual. Did you get a new haircut?"

With that, Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke and reappeared in front of his apartment complex.

Alright, so perhaps living amidst absolute morons is worse than hell… 

Effortlessly, he leaped up to his slightly ajar window on the fourth floor and pulled his exhausted body through. He took two steps toward the bathroom in search for some towels, but unfortunately his legs gave out, causing him to fall to the floor with a loud _THUMP._

_Who needs a bed when tile is just a few feet away? _He thought drearily before drifting off into a restless slumber.

* * *

Meanwhile back in Tsunade's office…

_She wants time off? I can't afford to give my best medic time off!_

"Time off, huh?" Tsunade attempted to rub the growing migraine out of her temples. "Sakura-chan, you know I can't give you time off right now, not with Keiko out with pneumonia and Midori eight months pregnant."

Strawberry locks fell gently over ivory skin as she bowed her head in defeat.

"I understand Tsunade-sama," she said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.

_This girl is going to be the end of me… _

_However, I may be able to use this to my advantage…_

Tsunade feigned an exasperated sigh, suppressing the grin that threatened to give away her master plan.

"Well, I suppose I could spare you for two days and not a second more. Although, you will need to do me a favor in return…" she began.

Sakura's head immediately snapped up, her sea foam eyes wide with fleeting hope.

"Thank you so much Tsunade-sama!" she cried, bowing before her sensei.

"Ah, don't thank me quite yet Sakura-chan…" Tsunade said with a glint in her eyes. "You haven't asked me what the favor is yet."

Sakura's left eyebrow twitched slightly. Why did everything have strings attached?

_She'd better NOT make me spend time with Naruto!_

She swallowed hard. "Wha… what is the favor Tsunade-sama?"

"I've noticed that Kakashi has been a little… down in the dumps lately. _To say the least… _I want you to keep him company for a while."

_Kakashi-sensei? Hm, I guess I've been too busy no notice…_

"How long is a while?" Sakura inquired further.

"Until I decide he doesn't need you any longer. You see, my theory is that he still feels guilty for losing Sasuke to Orochimaru… not to mention lonely, although the stubborn man would never admit it. But remember Sakura-chan, you must be subtle. I don't want him finding out that I put you up to this," the older woman smiled. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yeah, I guess. I was starting to miss the pervert anyway…" Sakura laughed. "Thank you again Tsunade-sama!" she shouted behind her while sprinting out of the hospital as fast as her feet could carry her.

* * *

A/N: Alrighty, so that was chapter two! I'm sorry if I've upset any Gai lovers out there… by making him out to be a complete idiot, but I just couldn't resist. Don't forget to leave a review! I absolutely love hearing from you guys.

Oh, and before I forget… I am in the market for a beta-reader in case any of you are interested. My only requirements are that you have to… have excellent grammar/spelling/sentence structure skills, be creative, respond quickly to emails and such, and finally… be able to put up with my insanity and tendency to use …'s all the time. X3


	3. Remedy

A/N: Ahh, I really meant to update sooner! Honest, I did! But… I got distracted and such. Not my fault. X3

Okay yes, Sakura and Kakashi will come into contact with each other finally, but not intimately. Duh. You can't rush these things… unless you want it to end up cheesy. And although I like cheese on sammiches, I detest cheesy stories.

* * *

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 3  
**Remedy **

The following evening, Sakura sat with her back against an ancient oak tree, enjoying the setting sun while a warm breeze introduced her nose to the light scent of wildflowers.

_I'm so glad it finally stopped raining…_

She closed her weary eyes against the breeze and wondered vaguely how long she could make this moment last.

Before long, her thoughts drifted to her new "mission".

_I'm sure Tsunade-sama is just overreacting… the man doesn't need a babysitter!_

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she thought of his reaction if she told him the truth.

"_Oi! Kakashi-sensei! So I hear you've been a little melancholy lately. Well Sakura-chan is going to fix you right up!" _

-sweatdrop-

_If he finds out what I'm really up to… he'll skin me alive! I'd better be extra careful… _

She opened her eyes and was greeted with pale stars freckling the now dark sky.

_Well, I might as well get it over with…_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Knock… knock… KNOCK!**_

He woke with a start, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

_What the hell is that?_

He looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the offensive noise.

_Mental note: Sleeping on the tile causes headaches… _

"Kakashi-sensei! I know you're in there… just open the goddamn door!" Sakura shouted while pounding on the door again.

Kakashi hoisted himself up into a standing position and staggered to the door, head throbbing harder with every step. After fumbling with the lock for a few seconds, he finally succeeded in swinging the door open.

_Sakura? What is she doing here?_

"Ah, Sakura-chan… as you can undoubtedly see, this isn't a good time for catching up. Now, if you'll excuse me…" he mumbled while closing the door.

However, her foot shot out and forced it open again.

After staring at him for a moment or two, Sakura's jaw slacked.

"Kakashi-sensei… your mask!" she gasped, eyes widening in disbelief.

"Mmm hmm, it's temporarily out of commission," he replied tersely before attempting to shut the door again.

"Stop trying to close the door in my face!" Sakura yelled after stopping it once more and let herself inside, lest he try to shut her out again.

"Oh yeah… make yourself at home," he sighed sarcastically before collapsing on a sofa near by.

After briefly observing his extremely untidy apartment for the first time, her eyes finally found their way to Kakashi.

And for the first time in three years, Sakura really _looked_ at the broken man in front of her.

He slouched against an armrest, throbbing head in hand, eye halfway closed. From the state of his hair, she assumed he hadn't showered in days. His normally pale skin was almost paper white, a dark circle lined the bottom of his exposed eye. Judging by the drawn look of his face and thinness of his wrists, he hadn't been eating properly either.

_Tsunade-sama was absolutely right… he does need my help._

Her heart lurched at the sight of her former sensei in such a state. Immediately every feminine instinct flooded into her, demanding that she take him into her arms and nurse him back to the great man he once was.

_Where do I start?_ She panicked slightly, before regaining her cool.

_Okay Sakura, _she rallied her courage, _you're going to have to be strong here. He's obviously sick, mentally and physically, and it's your job to fix him. First get the poor man out of those soaked clothes, get him cleaned up, fed and whatever else you can do for him. Then, figure out what his problem is. Got that? Good! Now get to work! _

"Kakashi-sensei… lets get you out of those wet clothes before you catch pneumonia, ne?" she smiled sweetly at him.

Given the size of his small apartment, it was easy to recognize which room was his. She quickly went through his dresser, silently praying to whatever god would listen that she wouldn't discover anything "inappropriate."

Luckily she found pajama bottoms and a loose t-shirt without stumbling over any of his lecherous paraphernalia, and then returned to the living room.

_Sleeping again? That's all he ever does!_

She sighed, and sat next to the silver haired jounin.

"Kakashi-sensei…" she poked his arm, "Kakashi-sensei, wake up!"

"Ah… oh… you're still here?" he asked sleepily.

"Yes, and you're going to catch a cold if you don't change out of those damp clothes." She removed his forehead protector and held a hand to his brow.

_He's really burning up…_

"Alright, why don't you go take a shower and change into these while I make you something to eat?" she suggested while helping him stand up and leading him to the bathroom.

Sakura closed the bathroom door behind her and started rummaging through drawers and cupboards in the kitchen. A few minutes later she heard the shower start running.

_Oh god, what if he collapses in the shower… and I have to break in?_

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks.

_Heh, that just won't happen. _

She shook her head a few times before returning to her search.

_Hmm… instant ramen, week old milk, potatoes, eggs. Typical. _

"Omelets it is!" she sighed, before heating up a pan and cracking a few eggs.

A few minutes later she heard the shower stop, and Kakashi stepped out of the bathroom clad in his loose pajamas. He sulked over to where Sakura was cooking and collapsed onto a barstool.

"Why are you doing this? And why did you come here in the first place?" he demanded, with little enthusiasm.

She set a plate in front of him and replied, "I'm doing this because I want to."

He began eating greedily while she continued, "And I came here to… er… see what you were up to!" _Lame Sakura…_"What, I can't stop in on my old sensei every once in a while?" she laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head.

At this he quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Secretly, he prayed that this was the end of his loneliness.

* * *

A/N: Oh man, this chapter took me forever to write for some reason! Perhaps I'm just not in the creative mood. Well, let me know what you think! I love hearing from you guys! 


	4. Regenerist

A/N: Once again… sorry I haven't updated sooner. I'm starting to see a pattern in my writing cycle, however… in which I update once a week, usually on Saturday nights.

-sigh- I'm such a creature of habit.

Alrighty, so you can expect this chapter to be much darker than the previous two. Yay for angsty romances! But not quite romancy yet. Hinted… maybe. -evil laughter- You'll just have to read and find out!

* * *

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 4  
**Regenerist**

Sakura watched with fascination as her former sensei polished off his meal. Sea green orbs met black and red as he lifted his head, before they glazed over slightly, pupils dilating.

Without warning, Kakashi lost consciousness, head crashing into the now empty plate in front of him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura rushed over to his side, shaking him slightly. She pressed a finger to his neck.

His pulse is so weak… 

Her breath caught in her throat. This was far more serious than she had previously thought. His heartbeat was so frail that even she, a well-trained medic, had nearly missed it. With all the strength she could muster, Sakura laced her arms around his torso from behind and proceeded to half drag, half carry him to the futon in his bedroom.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of transporting the dead weight of the jounin, she dumped him onto the futon and collapsed beside him, breathing heavily.

Breathing in…

She closed her eyes and sighed contently, _what is that heavenly scent? It smells of… sandalwood and spices…_

Her eyes snapped open.

She was in _his_ bed. Enjoying _his_ scent.

A blush rose to her cheeks once more as she scrambled away from the futon faster than if it were on fire.

_The man is fourteen years my senior! Baka, what are you thinking!_

For a moment or two she sat completely still, making sure he couldn't sense what she was thinking.

_Completely irrational. Not only is he unconscious… but he can't read minds! Get a grip Sakura._

She sighed and mentally decided to blame this incident on her severe sleep deprivation.

_That reminds me… I'm supposed to be at work tomorrow! I can't just leave him like this… he's a complete mess. I'll have to talk to Tsunade-sama about his "condition"…_

With that, she left his motionless body in search for a washcloth to cool his fever with. After retrieving one from the bathroom and dampening it with cold water, she kneeled bedside him and pressed it to his scorching forehead.

_He really is quite handsome, _she thought aimlessly as she traced a nail across his jaw line. _I wonder why he feels the need to hide his face…?_

As if on queue, Kakashi's eyes opened lazily, greeting her own.

"Ah! Um… you're awake!" she stuttered, withdrawing her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"…" He stared blankly at her.

"Kakashi-sensei?" she inquired, concern etching itself in her shaky voice.

"I lost it in the meadow… the heron that is. Quickly it swam across snowy mountain tops until… death by ramen." He mumbled incoherently.

"Death by… ramen?" she repeated incredulously, before deciding that delusion had undoubtedly set in, due to the high fever.

"Hmm…" she chewed at her bottom lip. _I really have no idea what I can do for him. I feel so helpless!_ She wrung her hands anxiously.

"Kakashi-sensei… can… you… understand… me?" she asked slowly, refusing to break eye contact.

However, sleep overtook his fatigued body as his eyelids closed once more.

…_Or you could just fall asleep again… _she sighed.

* * *

_**Kakashi Dream Sequence**_

He opened his eyes to see a land in complete ruin before him. Dense black clouds hung low in a dark sky, rendering all attempts of the sun's rays futile. The grass around him, if grass it could be called, was charred and lifeless. The ground barren. Trees hung their branches low in defeat, leafless and scarred. The only life form he could see, beside himself, was a lone raven perched on said scarred branch. It's small, beady eyes appeared to bore directly into his soul. He feared that one wrong step could be his last, as the parched dirt beneath him seemed as unstable as his current state of mind.

_I must be dreaming… this can't possibly be real…_

He shook his head in disbelief, attempting to rid his eyes of the senseless destruction, before sinking to his knees. Somehow, he felt responsible for this desolation, and it weighed heavily on his heart. Though even in his broken state, through all of the devastation… the sweet scent of cherry blossoms reached his nose.

He turned slightly towards the origin of the fragrance. The sight that greeted him contrasted so absolutely with its surroundings that it left him breathless.

In the distance on a small hill stood an ancient sakura tree in full bloom. A slight breeze swirled a flurry of petals around the perimeter of its branches, slowly renewing life to the decayed earth around it.

Gradually, the land around him began to flourish once more. The grass took on glossy leaves of varying green hues; surrounding trees regained their former splendor. The sky, once blackened and drab now shone with brilliance; soft white clouds caressing an endless blue plane.

He glanced back toward the astonishing sakura tree that had been the source of the regeneration, and noticed the raven now sitting happily among its pink branches.

* * *

Kakashi awoke and lifted himself into a sitting position. Moonlight, shining in from the window, blinded him momentarily before his pupils adjusted. He took in his surroundings, noting that somehow he had ended up in bed…just as the floral fragrance of cherry blossoms once again assaulted his senses.

_This is familiar…_

He glanced down to the sleeping form crumpled beside him. It was Sakura… the source of the aroma.

_She's the one… the regenerist. Maybe she's meant to heal me… _

…_or maybe I'm just delusional._

After covering Sakura's shivering form with a blanket, he slid back down under the sheets and slipped into yet another restless slumber.

* * *

A/N: And so ends chapter four. Yay! It was slightly shorter than I had hoped… but I can't bear to stretch it… usually that weakens the content. For me at least. -sigh- Gaahh… I hope my little metaphoric "Kakashi-Raven, Sakura-Cherry Tree" wasn't too cliché-ish. I just wanted him to realize in a non-traditional way that he needs someone to rely on besides himself. Don't forget to leave a review! I wouldn't have the motivation to continue without you guys. .

Oh, and I'm thinking that I may have to up the rating on this story to Mature soon… because I plan on sticking a lemon in here eventually. I dunno, tell me what you think! Lemon, or no lemon? Of course… it would have to be an angsty lemon to go along with the story... rather than a fluffy lemon or whatnot. Personally, angsty lemons are my favorite anyways. XD


	5. Persistence

A/N: This time… I'm /really/ late in updating. -sweatdrop- Excuse…? Well, I've discovered Naruto episodes on youtube… and it's consumed every second of my life for the past week or so. -twitch- Gomen!

Hmm… I feel like I should "disclaim" something, as I haven't for a while. Once again, I don't own Naruto. If I did… well, needless to say… it would be much too smutty to show on regular television! X3 Also, this chapter… and all of them, now that I think about it, contain mild language. Now don't get used to this "disclaimer" nonsense! It's far too troublesome to stick in on every chapter.

* * *

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 5  
**Persistence**

Bright rays of sunlight bored into Sakura's closed eyelids early the next morning.

_Where am I?_ She wondered briefly, before remembering the previous day's unnerving events.

Lifting the blanket off of herself, failing to recall when or how she had obtained it, she turned her attention to the still-sleeping form of Kakashi.

Once again, she checked his pulse… _still weak._

His fever… _still burning._

_Is it my imagination, or is his fever worse than it was yesterday?_

He stirred from the sudden touch of her hand, and opened an eye slightly.

"Sakura…" he whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Kakashi-sensei, don't strain yourself…. you're still weak," she cut in, while busying her hands with his untidy bedding.

His eyes flashed with frustration.

_If I wanted a nurse, I would have checked into a hospital…_

"Sakura…" he started more forcefully this time, demanding her attention. "Don't stay here on my account. I'll be fine. I've dealt with far more serious situations than this on my own."

Perhaps it would have hurt less… if he had slapped her in the face.

"The hell if I'll leave you here! You're _not_ fine… in fact, far from it. Quit acting as if you don't need my help, and quit treating me like a child!" She screamed, tears unconsciously starting to well up in the corners of her eyes.

_Traitorous tears, you had better stay put! Why can't he see me as the adult that I've become?_

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but you're the one who still calls me sensei… even though I haven't actually been your sensei for years now. How am I supposed to see you?"

Her jaw clenched while her eyes glared daggers into his flesh. She stood up abruptly, and took a few steps away from his motionless form. She could barely grasp the insensitive words that had just left his lips, when she had only been trying to help!

_That bastard…_

But as she continued to stand there, scrutinizing the weak and fragile state of the man before her, it occurred to her that it could possibly be just the intensely high fever compromising his reason, causing him to view her as the frail genin she once was.

_Then perhaps Tsunade-sama was right… he must have some emotional problems if he thinks he can handle this situation by himself. _

Sakura quickly wrapped up her inner arguments and finally came up with a suitable reply.

"Hn, well… I'm needed at the hospital today anyway. I trust a great man like Hatake Kakashi, the infamous Copy Ninja, can take care of himself without a worthless child worrying over him." Sarcasm dripped off her tongue like acid.

And before he could utter a word in his defense, she formed a familiar seal with her hands, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Sakura swung open the giant doors to the Fifth Hokage's office, and closed them forcefully behind her.

"Ah, Sakura-chan." Tsunade hailed from behind several stacks of paperwork and motioned Sakura towards a chair near by. "How did you enjoy your brief vacation?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, it wasn't much of a vacation." Sakura sighed while squirming in her chair, anxiety emanating from her body. What would Tsunade-sama say when she found out about Kakashi's condition? Then remembering the cruel words he had spoken to her earlier, her eyes narrowed as realization set in.

_I really didn't have time to relax at all! Damn that ungrateful Kakashi…_

"What do you mean? Out partying the whole time? That isn't like you Sakura-chan…" Tsunade chuckled to herself. She knew full well Sakura wasn't the type of person to party, and she obviously seemed nervous about something.

_Just a little more provoking… and I'll have the story out of her! _

"I wasn't out partying!" Sakura shouted, pounding her fists into her thighs.

"No…? Well explain then." Tsunade's brown eyes finally lifted from the paperwork in front of her, giving the now thoroughly upset Sakura their full attention.

"Well, you told me to look after Kakashi-sensei, so I paid him a visit. What I found was not my former teacher, but a fragile shell of the man I once knew. He was completely soaked with rain water, and had collapsed onto the floor." She paused, searching Tsunade for a reaction of some sort. Tsunade only nodded, signaling her to continue.

"After a brief examination, I discovered that he had a high fever, so I got him cleaned up and fed… but he collapsed shortly after. It was then that I checked his pulse, almost too weak to detect. He's been sleeping ever since."

_Well… the last part was a lie, but she doesn't need to know that he's an asshole even when he's half conscious. _

"And you left him there feverish, weak and comatose, all by himself?" Tsunade asked incredulously. She knew she had trained Sakura better than that! A shinobi draws strength from the people most precious to her, and must protect these people no matter what the cost.

_Comatose? Thank you for the exaggeration Tsunade-sama… as if I needed the extra guilt. _

"You said you needed me here at the hospital immediately after my time off!" Sakura countered, growing increasingly defensive while her sea foam green eyes flashed dangerously. Now not only did she need to justify her actions to Tsunade, but to herself as well.

"Sakura-chan, how many times do I have to remind you? You can't just leave a patient alone in that state!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed. _You've never told me that… well at least, not in those exact words._

Silence fell between the two while Tsunade reflected on the situation carefully. She definitely couldn't leave him alone in his current condition.

_I need Sakura-chan to take care of him, however… I can't just come out and ask her. Not when she has such a defensive disposition. I need to help her come to this realization on her own._

"Hmmm…" Tsunade tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Bring him into the hospital for observation."

"You know he won't come near a hospital!"

At this, Tsunade threw her hands up in faux frustration. "Well then, it looks like you'll just have to take care of him the best you can on your own. As of now, I'm making him your full-time patient."

Sakura blanched. _He doesn't want me anywhere near him… _she thought, miserably.

"Tsunade-sama… I lied before." She began with a whisper. "He did wake up, early this morning. He told me to leave… and that he didn't need me. That he'd gotten himself out of worse situations on his own." As she lowered her head, pink bangs shaded her eyes.

_Typical stubborn man_…Tsunade shook her head with a smirk.

"Sakura-chan, it is normal for a proud man such as Kakashi, who has lived his entire life depending on only his own strengths, to resent the person caring for him in his time of need. However, being alone certainly isn't going to help him… that's what got him into this predicament in the first place. He needs you now, more than ever… regardless of what he might think." Tsunade stood up next to Sakura, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Just be persistent, and don't coddle him…he won't respond well to that. And if he gives you any trouble, tell him that you were appointed to him directly by the Hokage!" she advised, while ushering Sakura towards the door.

"But…I…" Sakura stammered, glancing at her sensei behind her.

"Oh, and before I forget--keep this a secret, Sakura-chan. He won't want anyone knowing about his weakened state. Good luck! I'm sure you'll do just fine." Tsunade gave her student one last smile, before closing the doors between them.

* * *

_Just wonderful… now I get to spend every hour of the day nursing an irritable Kakashi back to health! What did I do to deserve this…?_

She sighed deeply, regaining her composure, and continued walking down the busy streets of Konoha.

_Well, I'm sure he'll be just fine for another hour or two_…she thought wickedly.

_Serves him right for not appreciating me! I've got to pick up some groceries for the dead-beat anyways… might as well say "hello" to a few people. I may not have the chance to see anyone for another week or two. _

With that, she smiled up at the wispy clouds above her, before stepping into a very familiar flower shop.

* * *

A/N: Yay! I finally finished this chapter! Sorry for making Kakashi sound like a completely ungrateful bastard! He's… just under a bunch of stress and such. You know… sickness and having to rely on a former student. -sweatdrop- Don't hurt me! Oh, and review review review! I love reviews! They completely brighten my day. XD

Oh… and before I forget… muchos thanks to my awesome new beta-reader, Cari! She's the best! Pffft, you're all just jealous that you don't have her! X3


	6. Sunflowers

A/N: It seems like I end up apologizing for my late updates at the beginning of every new chapter. Maybe I should give up apologizing… and just tell you to expect my updates late? Ahhh! -pulls hair out- Curse school for sucking up all of my free time.

Yosh! On to the next chapter! -pumps fist-

* * *

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 6 

**Sunflowers**

Sakura slid open the door to the Yamanaka flower shop and stepped over the threshold. Floral scents assaulted her senses as she took in the colorful displays engulfing her.

"Oi, Ino-chan! How are you today?" Sakura grinned at the blonde girl sitting lazily behind the counter.

Ino looked up from her magazine. She had not been expecting her first customer for another couple hours or so, since it was only ten o-clock.

"Sakura-chan! I haven't seen much of you lately. Busy at the hospital as usual, ne?" Ino replied with a wave.

Once best friends, the two girls had turned into rivals over a certain moody Uchiha boy. However, lately they had become much friendlier towards one other. One could even find them in each other's company occasionally, more often than not…observing fields of flowers.

"Yeah, Tsunade-sama has been working me to death! I finally got the opportunity to sneak away. Hey listen, I need to run some errands first… but I'll come back here later when I'm done. I need you to help me pick out a flower or two." Sakura chirped while leaning over to sniff a chrysanthemum.

Truth be known, she honestly didn't know what possessed her to buy flowers for her ungrateful former sensei.

_Pffft. Like he deserves them…_

However, his weakened state was causing her to be a little nostalgic, recalling the last time she had brought flowers to Lee and Sasuke while they were hospitalized.

_This would probably be a lot easier if he actually was comatose. Pain in the ass stubborn man…_

"Oh… and who are the flowers for, Sakura-chaaan?" Ino inquired, awakening Sakura from her musings.

"Just a depressed patient. I thought the colors could cheer him up a bit." Sakura waved her off nonchalantly before exiting the shop with a farewell.

* * *

Her next stop was among the various food venders lining the streets of Konoha. She approached a colorful stall boasting an assortment of vegetables and examined them carefully…briefly wondering when the last time Kakashi actually consumed a vegetable had been. Men always eat far too much meat for their own good, and as long as she was in control of his diet, she would make sure it was well balanced…much to his chagrin. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips at the thought of his future complaints. 

After selecting and purchasing a few plump, red tomatoes, a stalk or two of celery, four potatoes and a crisp head of cabbage, she made her way over to a fruit vender.

"Welcome kunoichi! Take a good look around…" the over-zealous vender bellowed, while sweeping an open hand over his produce, "…You won't find fruit fresher than this in all of fire country!"

She stared at his creepy grin and bushy eyebrows for only a second before noticing how his eyes were slowly undressing her. She wasted no time to turn on her heel and walk away rather quickly in the opposite direction.

_Eh, Kakashi-sensei doesn't need fruit that badly…_

* * *

Her day continued as such, minus another perverted vender incident. She managed to stock up on a good selection of meats, eggs, rice and noodles as well, before exhaustion and a certain blonde-haired idiot demanded that she take a break. 

"Come on Sakura-chan! Have lunch at Ichiraku's with me!" Naruto begged, batting his big, cerulean blue eyes at her.

She wondered, for the _millionth_ time, how Naruto could possibly live on ramen alone! In all the years she had known him, not once had she ever seen anything but ramen pass his lips.

A small sigh escaped her. Well, she had been growing more and more aware of her hunger over the past hour or so…and she might as well spend some time with her annoying teammate.

Sakura carefully placed her groceries near her feet and took a seat next to Naruto. After ordering a bowl of miso ramen, she leaned forward on an elbow and shifted her body to face the blonde shinobi beside her.

"So Naruto-kun, how has your training with Jiraiya-sama been going lately? Have you learned any new jutsu?" She began while patiently awaiting her lunch.

"Training's been alright… whenever I can get Ero-Sennin to stop peeking in on girls and actually get to work," he scratched the back of his head with an annoyed look on his face.

"You know… he hasn't really taught me anything exciting since I mastered the Rasengan! Damn that old man… I'll have to bug him about it later…"

Sakura tried to stifle a giggle behind her hand, but failed miserably. He was exactly the same Naruto as the one she teased six years earlier, although much taller now, and with a slightly less annoying voice. Very slightly. She would even go out on a limb and say that he had become a fairly attractive young man, however…

Being around him too often would bring back depressing memories of their lost teammate. Well that, and she would never date him anyway. She was more into the "_mysterious_" type…and Naruto was about as far away from mysterious as one could get. The energetic blonde was well known for wearing every emotion on his sleeve.

Finally, two steaming bowls of ramen were placed in front of them. They chanted "Itadaki-masu!" in unison before picking up their chopsticks and devouring the soup. Although, after a few bites, Sakura's mind started to wander to a certain silver-haired jounin…causing a loss of appetite.

_I hope Kakashi-sensei is doing alright… what if he needs my help?_ She wondered briefly between noodles.

"_Don't stay here on my account. I'll be fine. I've dealt with far more serious situations than this on my own."_

His accusing voice still rang in her ears. How would he react to her return? Would he tell her to leave again? She wasn't sure if she could take that kind of rejection from him…

_Wait a minute. What do I care if he welcomes me or not! It's just…my job. That's all._

Sakura gazed into her bowl of soup, not really seeing it… and chewed at her lip.

_But I do care whether he approves of me or not…_Her eyes widened a bit in realization.

Back when they were still a three-man genin team, Kakashi had always paid more attention to the boys. She was assumed weak, defenseless, and worthless. She was unable to stop Sasuke from leaving, and was unable to assist Naruto and the others in his failed retrieval. Naruto had risked his life to return Sasuke to her… and what could she do? Absolutely nothing.

Training under Tsunade-sama had been her first step in becoming truly useful. It was the only way she could prove her worth to her teammates, and to herself. Finally after years of perfecting her skills… she was blessed with the opportunity to demonstrate said skills to her former sensei. To protect him when he was weak, as he did for her on countless occasions.

_But it wasn't enough…I'll never be good enough…_

After finishing his fourth bowl of ramen, Naruto noticed that Sakura had barely touched hers.

"Sakura-chan?" He drew his face up close to hers while poking a finger into her side. "Is there something wrong with your ramen?"

She turned to face him, noting the concern etched into his eyes, before faking a cheerful smile.

"No, no… the ramen is delicious! I'm just not all that hungry right now." Picking up her grocery bags and paying Ichiraku, she waved goodbye to Naruto. "See you later Naruto… and good luck with your training!" she shouted before making her way back towards the flower shop.

* * *

_That was close…I don't want him worrying about me._

Along the way, her mind started wandering again.

"_Don't stay here on my account. I'll be fine. I've dealt with far more serious situations than this on my own."_

"_Don't stay here on my account…"_

Well, she would just have to stay on her own account then! Not even Kakashi could argue with that logic. With a new burst of confidence, she threw open the flower shop's door.

"Well, Ino-chan…I'm back! Now what do you suggest?" Sakura grinned while once again setting her groceries on the floor.

"Oi, Sakura-chan… I was wondering if you were ever going to show up! So, what do you want this flower to say?" Ino replied, before tying a white apron around her neck. Who could Sakura possibly want to give a flower to? I couldn't be just some depressed patient… she works in a hospital! She sees depressed patients everyday! This person must be special somehow… and Ino was determined to find out who it was.

"Hmmm… do you have a flower that says 'I'm not helping you because I feel sorry for you, I'm helping you because I care about your wellbeing'?" Sakura blushed slightly.

_Ahhh… I'm blushing, aren't I? Why am I blushing? ...Stop blushing!_

"Eh, I'm not sure if I have a flower with that exact meaning… but I think a sunflower or two will do the trick." Ino suppressed a smirk. Sakura didn't need to know that the sunflower represented adoration…and judging by her pink cheeks, she obviously cared for this person.

Ino carefully removed a few bright sunflowers from the display and wrapped the stems in plastic. The two girls exchanged flowers and money, before Sakura once again waved goodbye to her blonde friend, picked up her groceries, and started off in the direction of Kakashi's apartment.

* * *

A/N: Wow this chapter ended up being long! I'm soooooo sorry that I didn't get to the much anticipated the Sakura/Kakashi confrontation… but next chapter. I promise! XD I just had to finish up all the other stuffs first. 

Now don't you forget to leave a review! Oh how I love reviews! Gaah… when did I become such a review whore? Well, I suppose it can't be helped. X3

And once again… thanks muchos to my wonderful beta-reader, Cari! Without her… who would I be? Well, I'd be a lonely writer prone to typos! And that would be just awful. Let me tell you. XD


	7. Alleviate

A/N: Yay! No need for apologizing… I've updated on time for once! Amazing, isn't it? On another note… I'm actually pretty satisfied with how this chapter turned out, although I won't lie: It was a major pain to write, as there was barely any room for dialog. Well, I hope you enjoy! XD

* * *

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 7

**Alleviate**

Sakura ascended the stairwell leading to Kakashi's apartment, finally approaching his door. As she stared at the slightly weathered handle, the last few strands of her confidence quickly snapped.

_He might be feeling better by now… and not need my help at all!_

Her mind began tormenting her with possible humiliating scenarios. She could walk in, groceries and flowers in hand, to find him completely healed… getting ready for work. He would ask her if she thought he was really that weak, and what could she have possibly done to help?

Or worse yet, he could smile at her with his exposed eye and ruffle her hair in the same condescending…patronizing…demeaning way he always did.

She shook her head, attempting to erase the visuals created by her overactive imagination.

Or… he could be in serious danger. When she left him he barely had a pulse… and that fever! One of the highest fevers she had ever dealt with.

What if she opened his bedroom door to find the man's lifeless form sprawled half on his futon… and half on the floor? Obviously in an attempt to reach a telephone and call for help… and she had just left him to die. Alone.

After blinking away a few tears of frustration, she threw open the door and placed the groceries onto the kitchen counter. Sunflowers in hand, she slowly closed the distance between her and Kakashi's bedroom, and poked her head inside. He was still in the exact same position as when she had left him earlier… except now unconscious rather than starting at her with his scrutinizing eye.

Sakura placed the flowers on his windowsill before kneeling down next to her former sensei. His sleep was obviously restless, as his face was skewed into a pain-stricken scowl. Beads of sweat coated his forehead and his tousled hair was half plastered to his flushed cheek.

Once again she preformed the usual pulse and fever check-- nothing seemed to be improving-- and pressed a cool, damp washcloth to his brow.

She sat back on her heels and sighed. Besides this, there was absolutely nothing she could do to alleviate his pain…unless…no. She could not do that. Using chakra to cure illnesses required an immense amount of skill and practice, and she had only attempted it once before.

Attempted…and failed miserably. Not only had she lost consciousness for six hours, but her patient, a small raccoon with a stomach ache, had ended up worse off than when she had started.

But what else could she do? She knew that the damp washcloths didn't even put a dent in his suffering. As she looked down at his limp body she realized that, just this once, she wanted to be the person doing the "rescuing". She wanted to be able to save him from his pain.

* * *

That decided, Sakura left Kakashi's apartment in a frantic race to her own house to retrieve a few volumes of various medical journals. She flung herself through the front door, almost forgetting to kick off her shoes, and ran towards her bedroom… before coming to a halt at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Ah, Sakura-chan, just in time! I need you to help me clean up the house, we're having guests for dinner tonight." Her mother greeted with a smile while promptly shoving a mop and bucket into Sakura's surprised hands.

"Okaasan, I'm really in a rush! I can't do this right now…" Sakura pleaded after placing the mop and bucket down onto the wooden tiles.

Her mother's eyes snapped open and smile faded. "Sakura, when was the last time you helped out around the house?"

Sakura's mouth started to move in response, however she was cut off by her mother's sharp tone.

"Mmm hmm! That's what I thought." She continued, not waiting for Sakura's answer.

"Well, you're not getting out of your chores this time. These guests are really important, old friends of your father and mine, and I believe that their son is about your age…"

Sakura's mother's eyes softened as Sakura turned her gaze to the floor. She knew her daughter had never had a boyfriend, although she did fancy that Uchiha boy for a few years. Truth be told, she was glad that the boy had left the village. She didn't want her precious little Sakura tainted by that brooding, vengeful young man. A boy like that could never truly love her daughter the way she deserved to be loved. At best, he would have simply used her to rebuild his clan. Yes…it was better that he had left.

Of course, she would never tell Sakura this.

"Mom…" Sakura's suddenly determined voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"I cannot help you clean and I cannot stay for dinner. I need to gather a few things from my bedroom and leave as soon as possible for an important mission. By delaying me you are severely jeopardizing a person's life, so please… let me go." Sakura stated curtly, green eyes burning with a dangerous intensity, daring her mother to argue.

When had her daughter grown up so much? True, she was eighteen years old now… but she had never seen her this serious about anything.

"Yes darling…that's fine then. Just…be careful. What would I do if something happened to my only daughter?" Her mother whispered, pulling Sakura into a quick hug before bidding her farewell.

Sakura then gathered up as many books as her backpack and arms could hold, along with a few other tools of the trade, and made her way quickly back to her where her former sensei lay.

* * *

Upon arriving once again at Kakashi's apartment, Sakura carefully unloaded her collection of heavy books onto the small table near the kitchen before noticing the previously neglected groceries still lying on the counter. After quickly placing each item of food into its designated spot, she first checked to see if Kakashi was still unconscious, which he was, then settled herself down at the table with a hot cup of tea and began pouring over her textbooks.

First she had to decide which type of illness he had. She flipped through the pages of a diagnosis book while mentally listing his symptoms.

_High fever…meaning a bacterial infection. Weakness of heart and body, headache, swollen lymph glands, labored breathing… _

Pneumonia. It had to be pneumonia. She groaned while slamming her forehead into the pile of books beneath her. This was definitely going to be a lot of work.

Pulling an anatomy physiology book out of her bag she turned to the section on lungs. Since pneumonia is an excess of fluid in the lungs, she would have to first familiarize herself with their complex structure, and then find a way to remove that fluid with her chakra.

But that would only be the first part. Sakura grabbed a note pad and pencil from the pile and began scribbling down potential procedures.

She would then have to find the source of the bacterial infection… and remove that problem quickly before it caused his lungs to fill with fluid again. After that she would have to alleviate the pressure in his head that was causing the headache and fever.

Also, she would have to be careful that she didn't use too much of her chakra and end up hurting herself while trying to heal him.

_I really wish I could have had more time to practice this…_ she thought briefly before gathering up her notes and heading towards the dark bedroom down the hall.

* * *

A/N: Once again… sorry for not getting to the juicy Kakashi/Sakura stuffs. I really only planned for this story to be at the most five chapters long… but every time I start a new chapter… inspiration strikes and I go off in another direction altogether! I get distracted so easily. -sigh- I guess all I can say is… thank you for bearing with me! I hope I'm not disappointing anyone. There will be much more Kakashi/Sakura interaction in the near future!

Thanks again to Cari for being the best beta-reader on the planet! Yes… planet. Don't argue, I'm right. X3

Oh, and thanks to all of my faithful reviewers! I could make a huge list and comment on every single one of them as I see some people do at the end of their chapters… but not only is that far too troublesome, it just looks bad. But that doesn't mean I appreciate your reviews any less! I cherish each and every one of them… and I truly thank all of you for spending your valuable time reading and reviewing this story! It means a lot to me. XD


	8. Warmth

A/N: Late… once again. I should be fired. -sigh- I can't wait until summer…when I can write to my heart's content and not have to worry about things such as homework…tests…prom (yesh, I am girly enough to go to prom X3)…college…gah! Too much!

Warning: This chapter contains some fairly graphic anatomy stuffs. If you're extremely squeamish, then you might want to just skim read. But really, it's not that bad. You've been warned! XD

Another Warning: Haha! Tricked youuu. This isn't a warning…it's more of an announcement! Finally, some long-awaited romance! Slight romance. No smut yet. Pfft…you perverts; what were you thinking? -Gigglesnort-

* * *

Requiem of Despair: Chapter 8 

**Warmth**

A knot began to twist in her stomach as Sakura silently entered Kakashi's bedroom. Healing the man was going to take every ounce of her concentration, so she made sure to close the blinds and lock all of the doors before proceeding to kneel next to the broken jounin.

Her hands shook slightly as she began peeling away the layers of blankets covering his pale, exposed chest. A small gasp escaped her lips as she traced a fingertip across an angry scar above his heart. The scar that Zabuza's gigantic sword had mercilessly carved into her sensei's flesh during team seven's first real mission. Back when she was only a weak nuisance pretending to guard the bridge builder. Both Tazuna and she had known all along that she would have been powerless to stop Zabuza from taking Tazuna's life if Kakashi had allowed him the opportunity.

She snapped out of her flashback with a jolt, realizing that her hands were now flush against his pectorals and beginning to roam lower on their own accord. After removing her hands quicker then if his flesh had been covered with flames, she eyed his face for any sign of his regaining consciousness. Luckily, she found none.

It's just that…this is the first time I've touched a man's naked chest before… Yeah…that's it… 

Tucking away such thoughts into the dark recesses of her mind for reevaluation at a less crucial time, Sakura distracted herself by focusing chakra into her fingertips and methodically massaged the jounin's temples. After a minute or two, the painful look gracing his angular features receded, leaving him relaxed and in a much deeper state of unconsciousness. It would be potentially harmful- even lethal- for both of them if he were to wake up during the healing process.

That done, she glanced at her notes one last time before setting to work. Once again she placed her trembling hands over the pale flesh that hid his troubled lungs, but this time with a purpose. Gathering as much chakra as possible into her palms she began kneading circles against his chest while mentally mapping her chakra's path.

She slowly pushed small, alternating bursts of chakra through the thin layers of skin, through sinewy bands of muscles, past the rib cage, and finally into the infected area.

In her mind's eye she could see the swollen tissue saturated in fluids, making it nearly impossible for Kakashi to breathe. She began pulsing more chakra into him at a slightly faster pace before lifting a small cylindrical metal tube into one of her hands. About six inches in length with a three-millimeter diameter and one tapered, hypodermic needle-like end, the small cylinder was generally used for draining infected wounds. However, brutal as it seemed, she needed to get the fluid out of him somehow… and this was the fastest way she could think of.

Before she could begin, though, she needed him in a sitting position. Hooking her arms around his lithe form, she gently lifted him until his back rested against the wall conveniently adjacent to his futon. His head tilted lazily to one side and tousled, silvery hair fell down to cover an eye.

Sakura adjusted the cylinder between her thumb and index finger and after giving the unconscious jounin an apologetic look, slid the sharpened end through his chest and into his left lung at a about a thirty degree angle, pointing downward. Once satisfied with its position, she initiated the painstaking process of using her chakra to loosen the infinite number of crevices between air sacs just enough to let the contaminated liquid pool near the bottom.

Sweat accumulated at her brow as her face held the look of absolute concentration. The fluid, now fully removed from the surrounding lung tissue, began dripping from the end of the cylinder, only to be caught by a towel she had placed on his lap. Her chakra then gathered around the pool and slowly compressed until the drip flowed more freely.

Finally, one lung was completely drained.

As was she.

However, she still had a long way to go before rest was an option.

After removing the metal tube from his left lung and healing the hole it left behind, she readjusted herself to Kakashi's other side and began the entire process over again with his right lung.

* * *

Sakura swiped her damp forehead with an arm and sat back to admire her handiwork. With both lungs now freed from their aquatic burden, she noticed that his breaths came in deeper, more regular intervals. 

If only she could catch her own breath. The loss of chakra was causing her to feel faint as she struggled to keep her eyes from drifting shut. But she wasn't done yet… she still had to calm his raging fever.

"_What, you're going to give up now? Now that you've come this far? I think not!"_ Inner Sakura roared, causing her eyes to snap open.

_She's right… I can't give up now! I'm almost done…_

A sleepy smile graced her lips as she leaned closer to Kakashi and allowed her hands to cup his face. Perhaps it was just her current dream-like state, but had he always been this handsome? She really hadn't noticed before. It was probably due to the mask and hitai-ate that covered roughly eighty percent of his face at all times. It was still a mystery to her as to why he felt the need to hide himself from the world; his features were beautiful… just short of feminine.

She sighed deeply, breathing in his unique scent of spices and sandalwood before drawing her remaining chakra into her hands one last time. As she let her chakra flow past his skull to sooth his raging fever, she collapsed forward slightly, clinging to his body for support as their foreheads pressed together.

* * *

If he were to use one word to describe how he felt at that particular moment, it would have had to be _warm_. He drew in a deep breath of air, relishing in the greatly missed sensation... although, he could still feel a heavy weight on his chest. 

With still weakened arms, he reached out and snaked them around the foreign object lying on top of him. As soon as his hands met with the smooth skin of Sakura's back, however, her body began twisting and writhing in pain as an anguished scream escaped from deep within her throat.

Now fully alert, the sight of Sakura's crumpled form lying helplessly in his lap left his mind reeling. Sakura…? He wondered briefly when she had returned, before lifting her trembling body against his chest.

* * *

The pain was… excruciating to say the least. She felt as if her skin was being torn from muscle, tendons from bone, soul from body. Her eyes, damp and blurred from tears, finally came into focus on a worried face hovering only inches from her own. Kakashi's face. His regaining consciousness while she was still healing him must have been the cause of the pain… not to mention she had used up practically every last ounce of her chakra. 

_Damn that impatient bastard… _she thought while suppressing a groan.

_Now I'm the weakling again! I've got to… I have to… let him know that I was the one… the one who healed him_.Sleep was trying it's hardest to claim her.

Turning her head slightly to stare into his eyes, Sakura smiled sweetly and asked: "So how are you feeling now, Kakashi-_san?_" letting the honorific slip languidly off her tongue.

And with that, she drifted off into one of the soundest slumbers she'd ever had.

* * *

A/N: Heh… perhaps I went into more depth than I should have? Well at least I didn't use all of the scientific terms… X3 don't blame me, blame the super-fun anatomy physiology class I took last year! 

Oh, and sorry if I ruined Kakashi's face for anyone… but this is MY story… and I say he looks slightly effeminate! -Huggles chibi Kakashi doll- Yesh you are beaufy, aren't you? See? This is why I don't drink coffee very often. It makes me crazy. XD

Once again, thank you Cari for being the best beta-reader ever! -Glomps-

And thank you to all of my loyal readers/reviewers! Because you guys pretty much rock meh socks! Wow… I really am hyper. O.o


	9. Revelation

A/N: Alright, it has been brought to my attention so _eloquently_ by an anonymous reviewer that not only is my story illogical, but completely out of character. Pfft. If someone were going to take the time to harsh my mellow... you'd think they would at LEAST try to punctuate, spell, and sting together a sentence properly.

-cough- Now I feel the need to justify myself to all of you, since I am unable to actually contact them. X3

According to "Tamz"…

"_sakura is a medic.. helping heal ppl are hospital yet she doesnt know what to do to help kakashi's condition? -.- he has a cold and fever and she has no idea what to do? how unrealistic is that! really now / try to stay a TINY bit in character"_

Yes, I do realize that Sakura has been a medic in training for six years now... but that does not mean she isn't still learning things. In my story... internal healing of illnesses, as it is so intricate, is a very hard skill to learn. And it's not as if she hasn't practiced it before or anything... I made sure to mention that part. Now, if she could actually get Kakashi to the hospital, this would be a completely different story. She would be able to treat him with medicines and such. But... if he woke up in a hospital setting, as he hates hospitals with a passion, he'd likely bolt before healing properly... and in the long run, end up worse than when he started. Not to mention that his illness is not only caused by the pneumonia... but internal crisis as well. Please don't insult my intelligence by insinuating that I put absolutely no thought into my chapters what-so-ever. If I'm going to spend hours writing them... then I'm going to make sure they're as accurate as possible. And as for keeping the characters well, in character... I think I've done fairly well. Sakura is insecure, Kakashi is aloof, Tsunade is demanding, Naruto is bubbly... I suppose Ino may be slightly out of character? -sigh- I may be getting a little too worked up over this, but I tend to be very touchy when someone directly insults my work without first taking the time to fully comprehend it. Oh, and I apologize for ranting to those of you who do enjoy my story… and understand it. XD

Whew! I feel a lot better now that I've gotten all that off my chest! And now… I would like to dedicate this next chapter to my uber wonderful beta-reader… Cari! -Applause-

Seeing as how she's put up with me for a whole five chapters, including this one… I feel as if she deserves some extra recognition. -buries Cari in cookies- Yay! Okay… on to chapter nine! XD

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Requiem of Despair: Chapter 9

**Revelation**

Early rays of sunlight penetrated the drawn blinds of Hatake Kakashi's bedroom through small cracks between the material, glittering brightly across his silver tresses.

Two nights had come and past since the evening Sakura had sacrificed almost every bit of her chakra in an effort to heal her former sensei's illness.

Still weary and not completely responsive, Kakashi had slipped back down into the plush bedding that night, pulling Sakura along with him. His arm had curled protectively around her waist, pressing her to his side while her head and an arm rested comfortably against his bare chest.

As the minutes rolled by, the rouge sunlight shifted…inching its way towards Kakashi's closed eyelid. After finally making contact, the muscles in his forehead furrowed slightly, angered by the interruption. A loud yawn escaped him as he held up a hand in an attempt to silence it. Scratching the back of his head with a grimace tugging down the corners of his lips he opened his eyes, allowing them a minute or two to fully adjust.

Now wholly alert, his brain registered three things about his current predicament: he was absolutely famished, his bladder felt like it was way past the bursting point, and he was lying in bed with a woman. Anyone's guess was as good as his, seeing as the blanket covered her entire head. He couldn't properly remember anything after telling Sakura to leave. Which now, come to think of it, he felt mildly guilty about. The girl had only been trying to help, after all.

He supposed that he had been angrier with himself than with her. That he had actually _needed_ help in the first place had left a deep gouge in his ego. Hatake Kakashi, Konoha's famous Copy Nin, did not need help from anyone; especially not a woman. He could take care of himself just fine on his own.

He chuckled at his own irrational stupidity.

_Handle it myself…what the hell was I thinking? As if it's even possible for me to heal myself while I'm drifting in and out of consciousness…not that I've ever been able to perform anything but basic healing jutsu in the first place. _

However, the persistent demands of his bladder effectively awoke him from his brief reverie. Untangling himself gently from the unknown woman's sleeping form, he half ran, half stumbled to the bathroom, as his legs were no longer use to supporting his body weight.

After promptly relieving himself, he cranked on the shower on as high as the faucet would allow, and as the water warmed up, stood scrutinizing his semi-naked form in front of the full-length mirror attached to the door.

_Kami-sama… I really have lost a lot of weight…_

He ran a hand down his rib cage, noting the lack of the slight fleshy barrier that once stretched across his torso. A frown graced his mouth as he turned his skeletal frame to the side. Deciding that it was indeed a good thing he was feeling much better, he wondered just how long he had been sick… and just how many meals he had missed.

Taking a few steps toward the mirror he grasped his chin between his thumb and index fingers, eyeing the silvery stubble protruding from his skin. Way more than just a few days growth, he noted. He estimated being unconscious for at least four days or so. His stomach's long, agonizing growl agreed heartily.

"Yeah, yeah… I'll feed you as soon as I'm done here," he mumbled while patting his slightly concave stomach.

Stripping his boxers down off of his thin hips, he lifted back the shower curtain and stepped into the steaming streams of water. Against his aching joints and muscles, the stifling liquid was simply ecstasy.

After lathering shampoo into his hair and thoroughly cleansing his body, Kakashi reluctantly left the warm confines of the shower. He then toweled himself off and sauntered-- a little more gracefully-- towards his bedroom, towel wrapped loosely around his waist.

As he rummaged through his dresser drawers in search of some comfortable clothing, he heard a small yawn escape from amongst the folds of blankets on his futon. His eyes widened considerably as he recognized the girl in an instant.

* * *

Averse to leaving the warm bedding, Sakura settled for lifting herself into a sitting position and haphazardly began rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

That is… until her memory rushed back to her, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

Keeping her eyes squeezed shut; she allowed her mind to begin calculating the situation. It was morning, as she could feel the sun's rays against her cheek. She was in a bed… alone. Meaning, Kakashi must be awake.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She scanned the vicinity of the small apartment for his chakra and found the source to be only a few feet from her. He was probably staring at her at this very second!

Kakashi watched with amusement as Sakura's expression shifted from one of confusion, to concentration, then finally panic mode.

He smirked, knowing just the way to make her face him.

"Didn't I tell you that I could handle this myself… or did you take that as an open invitation to climb in bed with me?" he drawled, waiting anxiously for her undoubtedly heated reply.

After all she had done for him? Sakura's heart lurched slightly before fury and hurt took complete control. She opened her eyes to find the silver haired man sitting on the edge of the futon, smiling at her. He wouldn't be smiling when she was done with him.

Pushing herself to her knees, she slowly crawled over to where he was sitting and sat back on her heels, a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on her face.

She brought her right hand up, and with as must strength as she could muster, slammed it across the left side of his face while whispering "You…" and catching the right side of his face with the back of her hand while screaming "**BASTARD!**"

He caught her wrist just before the girl could inflict any more damage on him. He groaned, wondering if it was a wise decision to let her train with Tsunade after all. The girl had definitely acquired a good deal of strength since she had renounced him as her sensei.

"What was that for?" he growled, gingerly rubbing his other hand against his sore cheek.

Anger darted dangerously between her sea-foam orbs as she stared him straight in the eyes.

"You want know what that was for? Well…let's see…you lied to me about the severity of your illness, you treated me like a child and told me to leave when I was only trying to help, you probably haven't even realized that it was I who healed you, almost killing myself in the process, and now you're accusing me of _sleeping_ with you!" she all but screamed in his face, tears of frustration beginning to stream down her face as her nails drew blood from the tiny crescents pressed into her palm.

His eyebrow twitched slightly. If he had known she was going to react this strongly… he would never have tried jesting with her. He looked at the girl, or rather, woman in front of him who was still defiantly refusing to break her intense gaze. Did he really still treat her like a child? He supposed that he had just overlooked her maturing due to the fact that he had known her since she was twelve.

Now that he thought of it, she definitely had grown into a beautiful woman. She had been blessed with ample curves in all the right places, which by the way looked great under the form-fitting, sleeveless outfit she always wore.

_Eh…bad Kakashi_.He mentally chastised himself. _This girl is fourteen years your junior_.

"Hmm… so you healed me, did you?" he began gently wiping away her tears with his thumb, slightly scarred from years of performing summoning jutsu. "Well, I guess I am in your debt then, Sakura-san."

The angry flush gracing her cheeks was immediately replaced by a deep red blush as her expression softened remarkably.

_He called me… Sakura-san…_

_Does that mean he finally acknowledges me?_

A/N: Squeee! Shmexual tension and an evil cliffie! -Giggles- This chapter was so much fun to write, as I got to finally bring out the perverted side of Kakashi. My favorite side, by the way. XD Yay, well I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! Until next time… ja, mata!

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Oh… and a couple more things before I forget or something. First, I'm going to be on a weeklong cruise to Mexico over spring break, and might not be able to update while on the ship. But don't you worry! I'm taking a note pad along with me. XD Second, I got accepted to my university of choice, and will be attending Western Washington University next fall. Yay! But of course I'll still be able to find time to write new stories and ish. X3


	10. Bitter Sweet

A/N: Woo hoo… I've hit an all time late-ness. Gah, I'm probably on half a dozen hit lists by now for making you all suffer for so long. Gomen asai! I hope this romance-y chapter makes up for that!

Warning: This chapter contains… kissing! And groping! –gasp- But seriously, nothing that any normal teenager hasn't seen/read before. However, if for some reason these things offend you, leave now and forever hold your piece and such. You've been warned! X3

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Requiem of Despair: Chapter 10

**Bitter Sweet**

In the soft morning glow of Hatake Kakashi's bedroom, two figures could be seen in close proximity, sharing a rather rare, intimate moment.

Kakashi let his thumb trace the soft curves of Sakura's face until it rested upon her chin, then crawled his remaining fingers up to cup her jaw line.

"Shhh… don't cry for me, Sakura-san… I'm really not worth your tears," he spoke softly, almost soothingly, and allowed his thumb to gently caress her fair, petal-like skin.

"I…I'm not crying for you. I'm crying because…well…I'm frustrated. _You've_ just so happened to be the source of my frustration for some time now," she spit out, however, did not recoil from his warm, inviting fingers. Rather, she leaned in slightly.

What was wrong with her? She should still be seething and furious at the man… but instead, his simplest touch sent her mind reeling and his soothing voice caused an unfamiliar feeling to make itself known in the pit of her stomach.

Could she even begin to rationalize this situation? It was a sort of survivor's guilt, after all. They were the only two members of team seven still in Konoha. But did that justify the things she was feeling toward her former sensei at the moment?

No, she decided that it wasn't justifiable in the least bit. Her feelings were probably just annoying teenage hormones raging again. Nothing serious, right? All girls suffer from crushes on their teachers from time to time, so this shouldn't be any different.

But was it really just a crush? She had determined that what she had felt for Sasuke all those years had been a crush… but this felt different to her somehow. Sure, the sight of Sasuke had made her stomach flutter and her vocabulary decrease substantially, but the sight of Kakashi sitting, in naught but a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, gently holding her face in his hands, was preventing her lungs from taking in any air. As absurd as it seemed, he stole her breath away.

She was looking at him, lust clearly engraved in those beautiful green eyes of hers. Her full lips were slightly parted, a faint blush tainted her soft cheeks, and her breathing was labored and uneven. Kakashi knew when he was desired…as he had seen many women look at him in exactly the same manner Sakura was at that moment, but he couldn't think of a single woman in his entire life that he found more desirable.

Throwing all logic, caution, and morality to the wind, Kakashi drew his other hand up to cup Sakura's face and gently pressed his lips to hers. It was a chaste kiss, nothing more than a simple brushing of lips, but as her first kiss, it left a tingling sensation along the entirety of Sakura's spine.

He pulled back, examining the girl's face for any sign of repulsion; for fear that somehow he had misjudged the situation. What he surprisingly found, instead, were two delicate arms wrapping themselves around his neck and the warm, innocent mouth over his again.

This kiss, however, took on a much more sensual pace as Kakashi's arms enclosed Sakura's waist and pulled her into his lap. As she felt his tongue swipe across her lips, begging for entrance, she allowed it to slip inside and eagerly met the advance with her own. It was obvious that their hungry bodies were starved for touch as their hands and mouths roamed over one another's unabashedly.

Kakashi left Sakura's mouth to nibble at her ear a bit and trail hot kisses down the side of her neck, only to attack her collarbone for a minute or two.

"Ka…kashi…" she moaned softly into his silvery tresses. His name on her lips was more erotic than any copy of Icha Icha Paradise he had ever picked up, and he briefly wondered which god he had pleased to receive such a reward.

Although, at the back of his mind his annoying conscious was busy at work again, making him feel guilty for taking advantage of such a young woman. She was his student after all, and teachers were supposed to look after their students, right? Not practically rape them…not that he planned on raping her, or anything of the sort.

_But technically, she isn't my student any longer… and she _is_ eighteen after all…_

As he felt Sakura's curious hands leave the planes of his back and begin wandering lower, he let out a mental sigh before catching them in his own while breaking their heated kiss.

"Sakura…" he began at a whisper, refusing to meet her eyes, "…I can't…be your first. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

"But I…" she protested, before being silenced by a finger pressed to her lips.

He shook his head slowly and embraced her entire frame to his chest. Any fleeting thought that his reasoning for rejecting her was that he found her unsatisfactory, had somehow quickly melted away as he ran his fingers through her strawberry locks.

"I…I don't regret what we've done. In fact…it will probably remain one of my fondest memories for the rest of my life. But you have to understand, Sakura…that our lives are far too different for this sort of relationship to continue. I won't have you burdened by my lifestyle."

She looked deep into his mismatched eyes through a teary blur as her mind raced for something to say, anything that would change his mind. However, deep down inside she knew his words to be true.

What kind of relationship could they have? People would frown upon them for the age difference, he would still have to go on dangerous missions often where she wouldn't be able to see him for months at a time, and there was always the distinct possibility that he might not come back from said missions. All she could do was nod.

He held her head against his chest and kissed her forehead softly. "Cheer up, Sakura, because after all…you've accomplished what you set out to do in the first place, right? Oh don't act so surprised, I saw through Tsunade-sama's plan from the beginning, it was all too typically something she would come up with."

"Eh… so you're not… mad?" Her eyes darted between his own, searching for anger or something of the sort.

"No, no…not at all. Well, I will say that I'm a little irked towards Tsunade-sama for nosing her way into my business, but the results really weren't that bad!" he said with a chuckle, eyes curling up into his trademark smile.

Suddenly, his expression turned serious as he drew his fingers through her hair once more. "But promise me one thing, Sakura…that you'll never leave Konoha. I want to know that at least one of the people I care about will always be safe."

If that was the least she could offer him, just a little bit of certainty in his life, she was content to do it. "Hai, Kakashi-san…for you, I will remain in Konoha," she replied while hugging him tightly.

* * *

They both knew that it wasn't possible for the two of them to ever have a serious relationship of any kind together, as they both led far too different life styles, but in their hearts it was always enough that…

For Sakura, it was enough that she was finally able to accomplish something the boys of team seven could never have done: melt away Kakashi's loneliness and give him some stability.

As for Kakashi, it was the comfort in knowing that no matter how many comrades died on the battle field, no matter how many friends he never saw again, there was always one beautiful sakura tree rooted firmly to Konoha, always there for him, awaiting his return.

Owari!

* * *

A/N: Yay slight lemon-ness! Or would that be called lime? Eh, I'm too lazy to look it up. You know… I had considered making a full lemon chapter, but now that I think about it… I suck like whoa at writing hetero smut. So yeah, for once… I'm keeping the rating below mature. Amazing, ne? –sigh- I can't believe this story is finally over! I'm not sure whether I'm depressed… or relived. How about a little of both?

And one more thing… I received so many extremely wonderful reviews over the past nine chapters, that I've decided to throw all you great reviewers a party! –hands out party hats- Hai, one for each of you… and punch too, which I did NOT spike by the way. –giggles- Yay thank you guys so much, you make my life all fun to the max in a can to the fourth power squared and such! –huggles-

And finally, thank you SO MUCH Cari! –glomps- I luff you like whoa for doing the greatest job beta-ing my story. I am forever in your debt!

(Special note from Cari— OMG why didn't you make it a lemon? WTF OMG…Just kidding…it was so much fun Beta reading this story. I'm so sad it's over ;; and don't remove this note, Porcelain, or I keel you! I want to talk to the readers too, y'know:D…just kidding again. Peace out!)

Aww Cari-chaaan, I wouldn't dream of removing it! -huggles-


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